A 24-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for a ‘prolonged’ attack on his partner after she accused him of being a ‘dead-beat dad’ on Facebook.

Blackburn magistrates heard Zaqir Hussain had failed to turn up to look after their children while his estranged partner went to work.

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And after she contacted his parents and posted on Facebook he tracked her down to a friend’s house and repeatedly punched and kicked her.

Hussain, of Cloister Drive, Darwen, pleaded guilty to assaulting Claudia Hawkins. He was jailed for 16 weeks and ordered to pay £115 victim surcharge on his release.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Hussain had previous convictions for assaulting Miss Hawkins and breaching a restraining order in her favour.

The court heard on the day of the latest assault he was supposed to be looking after the children while she went to work. She rang him to make sure he was coming because he often let her down but he made excuses and blocked her number.

She had to get her brother to look after the children and as she was on her way to work received a message from him saying he was going there as well.

“She presumed that was because she had been in touch with his parents and also called him a dead-beat dad on Facebook,” said Miss Allan.

“She decided it would be better not to go to work and went to a friend’s house instead.”

Hussain tracked her down and attacked her in front of children who were at the address. Miss Hawkins was punched and kicked repeatedly but didn’t know how many times.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Miss Hawkins had tried to retract her original statement and had attended at court.

“He is sorry that he went round there and involved others in his problems,” said Mr Taylor. “He knows this is not the way to behave.”